The municipal workers union SAMWU in the North West is threatening court action against state institutions such as the North West Department of COGTA and SALGA, which it claims are failing to act against the Ngaka Modiri Molema District Municipality for allegedly violating the law, and failing to deliver basic services.
SAMWU’s deputy chairperson in the Ngaka Modiri Molema region, Lucky Petersen, said the union will spare no effort in ensuring that the municipality is accountable.
“We have given SALGA and the Department of Local Government in the North West the memorandums of our grievances and given them time to respond. And if they don’t respond we will take the matter to the Constitutional Court. We will make sure that the statutory bodies, which are supposed to provide oversight, are informed.
“We are going to have a stakeholders meeting with our affiliate Cosatu, for it to address the matter with the government. We cannot have a municipality whereby communities are in disarray in terms of lack of service delivery. We cannot tolerate protests in the region because of non-service delivery, which the municipality fails to render,” Petersen said.
However, The North West Local Government spokesperson, Dineo Thapelo dismissed SAMWU’s assertions stating nothing was done to hold the municipality accountable.
“The department on a regular basis conducts workshops for all municipal public accounts committee members in various municipalities, including the Ngaka Modiri Molema District Municipality.
“This is to ensure the committees are able to perform their oversight rules as far as dealing with unauthorised, irregular, fruitless and wasteful expenditure is concerned. And also to track the different conditional grants that are allocated to municipalities.
“Every year after the Auditor General tables the audit outcome, the municipalities are expected to draft their post audit action plans, which the department will assess and check the credibility of the audit action plans. The department will monitor their implementation throughout the year,” said Thapelo.
SALGA’s provincial chairperson, Khumalo Molefe, said they have noted the concerns raised by SAMWU and will give the municipality the necessary support it needs.
“We are happy with the relationship we have with SAMWU and if there is a need for further discussion on various issues of mutual interest we are available,” Molefe said.
Areas falling under the Ngaka Modiri Molema Municipality are among the most underdeveloped, with many not having access to basic services such as water and sanitation.
